Times Like These
by Mirae-no-sekai
Summary: Or just one of the things Van does when bored. Happy VanVen day, all you people, and hope you enjoy!


They don't have much else left to do.

Vanitas resents the fact that this heart isn't theirs. Even if the only real limit is that he can't break it in combat, or that what passes for his existence is linked to its wellbeing. He'd survived a couple stained-glass windows already, and the peaceful islands in which he found himself were overdue for some chaos and destruction. At his hand, because what happened before doesn't count. And he owes Ventus that.

If Vanitas is still stuck as the harbinger of doom, as the dark spawn who came this very close to succeeding, he'll take the role and run with it. That, and teach the new arrivals how it's properly done, none of that nonsense about fading halves.

"You did fade, you know. At the end, when I-"

"Ventus, do you really want to wake up missing limbs?"

He skips over mentioning that he likes having all of his limbs attached, and the state in which Vanitas himself wakes up is… not enough research. And he frankly can't care, but Ventus tends to have some odds on his side.

He's the one who latched both of them on to the sky. So for now, Vanitas just threatens him. They'll have the time to make good on all the threats one they're out of this Sora boy's heart. Once they're out of the pleasantly warm sun, away from calmly lapping waves and the stuff he should be enjoying, but he can't.

That's for Ventus to do. He always gets the nice stuff- must be from being in the light- and so far…

Vanitas swipes at him, lightning fast.

There is no dark nebula around his arm, or blade attached. That's for when he absolutely needs someone dead. Not like they can die in this state, marooned in a heart station, but that's the idea. He wants to hurt Ventus a little.

Using his full name doesn't work.

Trying to get the new guy, what was his name, Roxas to act like his doppelganger… well, that had given Vanitas a headache. A fun one, since he ended up terrorizing both of them, but he didn't expect Ventus to end up best freaking friends with the other guy. And he didn't even have a heart, for Darkness's sake, how was he even here.

Whole universe must've confused him with Ventus, at any rate.

He wants to go back, go forwards, do anything but spend more time relaxing on this island. So he swipes at Ventus, again and again. They all connect, as far as Vanitas is concerned. There was some strength behind them, as far as both of them are concerned but Ventus isn't reacting.

"What, you ended up liking this?"

"Nah, you've just become…"

That does it. Void Gear in, Wayward Wind in, a full lunge because Ventus fully deserves whatever is coming now.

There isn't anything spectacular about the fight. To be honest, Vanitas laughs his way through it- like a proper maniac, to be sure, but laughing- and there is a distinct lack of flashy moves. Vanitas hasn't thought up any new ones, and Ventus is outright uncreative there.

Although he's figured out every possible use for the artificial wind here. They haven't had a storm in ages, just because Roxas and Xion have roped them in with their ritual sunset watching. They'll all burn their eyes out, at the rate they're going, and Vanitas will get to show off his epic regeneration. A perk of being almost full darkness that the others don't share.

It's also a perk for now, when Ventus launches himself bodily into Vanitas and brings them both down on the sand. Calls a win, and tries to settle the score.

"We're, err…"

"Nine hundred and twenty seven to you, little wind, and nine hundred and thirty six to me."

"Van, you just changed the numbers around. I had thirty six."

"You had twenty seven, Ventus, and I'll have thirty seven if you dare use Van again."

"So you want to lose again-"

Vanitas just glares as an answer and follows it with a kick for good measure. Which doesn't do much, since Ventus had rolled off already and Vanitas…

Okay, he has to practice kicking. At least, he's managed sneak attacks quite well, unlike the others. They lack in fun, but there's nothing quite as useful.

Ventus still doesn't get the nuances of them, even if Vanitas keeps trying to teach him some. But he's in a pretty firm headlock right now, missing only a blade between, hmm… it was ribs the last time…

"Van, I know you're all for hands-on, but-"

"What did I tell you about the nickname?"

"That you're a jerk. Come on, even Roxas and Xion are with me on this. Your name is-"

"Fine just the way it is."

Some silence, mostly because Ven(tus) is busy squirming out of his grip- kind of failing at it, but it's something- and Vanitas is busy glaring holes into Ven(tus)'s hair. Not that it will work, since nothing will change the state of disarray that hair is in: dunking in water, more squabbles, showing off his armor to the other kids, falling asleep wherever.

"You just don't like being one letter apart, right?"

If they're down to discussing nicknames while after the battle, they've really run out of options. Vanitas will take the freaking sunset watching- at least, he won't burn his eyes out that fast, and he can always scare the rookies a bit- over this.

"I am above things like nicknames."

"You were above things like friends too, and here we are."

He scoffs at this. Breaks into laughs, because he can't believe Ven is anywhere near serious with this talk about friends and whatnot.

That's for the Light guys. He's all for the world collapsing into darkness… (if nothing else, he gets the others to see his way.

And maybe he figures out just how happiness feels).

"What makes you think you are my friend?"

Ven smiles. The bastard, he can smile and it doesn't mean death and darkness. Vanitas wants that, but the day Sora's heart freezes over he'll admit that. And that only if everyone turned a keyblade on him, and they remained standing after that.

And just because Vanitas wants that friendship, wants the smiles and to simply accept the damned popsicles or that maybe he hadn't been topping the scores (okay, not that last one, he is obviously and evidently the best)…

"No points for that, Ven."

* * *

A.N. – and here I thought I wasn't going to partake in this. Or that they weren't going to be civil about this.

So, here we are with a VanVen for the end of the world (as we know it, and I feel fine~). As per usual, none of the characters belong to me; whoever came out with the pairing days was an inspired person and… maybe I'm getting to like these guys as friends. Who would've thought it.

Hope you enjoyed!


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